Vaccine refusal among world health risks

(ANSA) - Rome, January 15 - The refusal of vaccines is among the greatest threats to world health this year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
    Vaccine "hesitancy", or the refusal or reluctance to be vaccinated, is a new entry alongside climate change and resistance to antibiotics.
    "Vaccine hesitancy threatens to undermine the progress made regarding preventable diseases," the WHO said.
    "Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective ways to combat disease.
    "They prevent 2-3 million deaths a year and they would avert another million and a half if vaccine cover were to rise".
    Italy has a large vaccine skepticism movement, called No-vax, which was enraged last week when anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) founder Beppe Grillo did a U-turn on his previous skepticism.